It's getting hot, hot, hot!
Nice weather and plenty of sunshine shouldn't stop you from enjoying your favourite beverage, but very few people want a hot cup of tea on a warm day.
Here are my five favourite ways to have tea in the summertime that don't involve boiling water.
Our Hibiscus Lemonade tea is one of my favourites iced!
Iced Tea
This one's a given! I love making iced tea to drink straight from the fridge. One of my previous blog posts includes my favourite ways to make iced tea, so make sure you check that out if you'd like some step-by-step instructions.
Drink Mixer
Tea makes a fantastic, zero-calorie mixer to go with your favourite alcohol this summer. You can cold-brew your tea the night before a backyard gathering, and have plenty available to share with friends. Our friend Francesca at Outside the Shape loves mixing full-flavoured teas like Agua de Jamaica with Prosecco. If that's not a great excuse to host a brunch party, I don't know what is!
Not a drinker? No problem. Cold-brewed tea can also be mixed with lemonade, sparkling water, or fruit juice to make a delicious patio drink without any booze.
Our Cherry Berry Banana herbal tea is fruity and refreshing. Mix it with club soda and add a slice of strawberry or banana on the side of your glass for presentation bonus points.
Want something a bit more traditional? Mix your favourite black tea with lemonade for a delicious spin on southern sweet tea.
I have also been known to add leftover cold-brewed iced tea to smoothies.
Popsicles
Have you ever thought of making popsicles with tea? You're in luck, because there's a lot of people who have thought about this!
Here are some recipes I'll be making this summer:
-
Earl Grey Latte Popsicles by Dessert for Two
- Sweet Tea Popsicles by The Chic Site
- Cucumber Mint Green Tea Popsicles by Cake Over Steak
- Sweet Peach Iced Tea Popsicles by Paper & Stitch
- Green Leaf Matcha Pistachio Ice Lollies by Goodness is Gorgeous
I think our Strawberry Rhubarb tea will be my first attempt, maybe with some sliced strawberry pieces and a bit of sugar.
Ice Cream
I definitely can't mention popsicles without mentioning ice cream. I absolutely love ice cream. The most unique flavour I've ever had was made with rose petals and tasted just like eating a real rose. It was amazing!
Today we're talking about tea, so here's five more recipes that sound very tasty:
- Chai Tea Ice Cream by Sweet Remedy/Nutmeg Nanny
- Earl Grey Lavender Ice Cream by the Farmer's Daughter
- Matcha Banana "Ice Cream" by Oh, How Civilized
- Rooibos and Honey Ice Cream by Drizzle and Dip
- London Fog Ice Cream by Cooking with Team J
Tea Floats
I'm so happy to see that tea floats are a thing! You can make a tea float (tea with a scoop of ice cream) with any of your favourite teas, but I bet it would also be really delicious with kombucha, a fermented tea beverage that is now widely available.
There are so many delicious combinations of tea and ice cream to try. Why not use one of the ice creams linked above and get double the tea goodness in each sip? How about Lavender Earl Grey and Blackberry? Or peach ice cream and your favourite black tea (maybe with a sneaky shot of vodka)?
How are you going to enjoy your tea this summer? I had a grandmother who swore that drinking hot tea helped cool her off. I do still drink hot tea when it's hot outside, but not for that reason!
